Pine-Ton Dairy – The Wilcox Family
Farm of the Month
August 2016
“They will spend their days in prosperity, and their descendants will
inherit the land.” – Psalm 25:13
In 1892 FD Wilcox and his family settled the original 160 acre farm located in Russell, PA. In 1906 GC Wilcox and his bride moved on to the farm and eventually their son Evan Wilcox took over the dairy; milking his record breaking herd of 19 cows. Evan, now 91 years old, can remember the milking stool that he sat on as he milked each cow by hand. A gas powered vacuum pump was used until the farm was provided with electric in 1946 following WWII. GC Wilcox and his son, Evan, sold cream until 1950 to a local creamery. That cream was shipped all the way to New York City. Then from 1950 until 1957 the dairy sold whole milk in cans. In 1957 the first bulk tank was installed.
Evan Wilcox has retired passing the farm on to his son Howard. The family farm has grown to 525 acres harvesting corn and hay. In March 2016 Howard and his son Dustin made Dustin’s dream of robotic milking a reality by installing Lely robots milking 320 head with approximately 700 head total. The next generation of the Wilcox Family is well on its way with Dustin’s sons Wesley and Evan visiting and playing on the family farm. Each generation has proudly carried on the family name and dreams while remembering how it all began almost 125 years and nearly 6 generations ago.
Fisher Thompson is sponsoring an Open House at the farm on September 1st, 2016 with vendors and guests welcome. This is a premier facility featuring six (6) Robotic Milking Units, Juno Feed Pusher, Lely Automatic Calf Feeder and more.
